COMMERCIAL MOTOR
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Recognized in Business Circles as the Leading Journal.
The Authority on all forms of Motor Transport. Largest Circulation Why Change the Rule of the Road?
'I' HERE IS the possibility of the institution of a propaganda in favour of the alteration Of the rule of the road in this country. There is no universal rule of the road ; in fact, there arc nearly as many countries which adopt the left side on which to drive as there are of those which adopt the opposite.
But, it will be contended that any vehicles imported into Great Britain will, in the main, come from coun tries which have adopted the rule of keeping to the right, and that, therefore, the 'principal exception to the most important adherence is Great Britain. '
Such an argument is intended primarily to assist American manufacturers, enabling them to stand ardize their productions still further by cutting out the manufacture of models with right-hand steering made solely for the British market. But this line of argument is one that could not diplomatically be advanced, and it will, therefore, be urged that the universal adoption Of one way or the other (the choice, however, to fall upon keeping to the right!) will make for universal convenience. _ From the point of view of convenience and expediency, there is not the slightest need or justification for a change in this country. It could not be made without enormous expense in alteration of tramway cross-overs and automatic switches; it would lead to a multitude of accidents until the new rule became firmly established, and, in the end, it would effect not the slightest advantage.
The effect on vehicle design, particularly as regards all small vehicles, would be such that gear and brake _ levers, placed centrally, would be in the way of the driver, who, entering from the left on that account, must pass round in front of (or behind) his vehicle and enter from the road instead of. .from the kerb. Sufficient room to pass between the levers and the seat cannot, generally, he obtained without placing the levers inconveniently far forward. In dismounting, the driver would avoid the levers and pass out to the left, and therefore have to pass round the vehicle to the kerb, involving risk from passing traffic.
The person supposed to be affected advantageously by the adoption of a universal rule (particularly keep ing to the right!) is the one who goes abroad, and, therefore, has to change his habits. It is always asserted that these drivers find themselves, for a long time, in an uncertain and awkward frame of mind.
We .say that this is all bunkum. We have gone from a "left-keeping" country to a " right-keeping" one, driving long and short distances in congested streets and open country, and have never experienced any difficulty or noticed any hesitation. On occasion we have gone from the boat straight to the driving seat and driven off, automatically keeping to the proper side without the need for giving thought to the matter entering' the mind—the whole Action being spontaneous and, possibly, controlled by the subconscious mind, to be discovered as a matter of curiosity when other urgent matters have left the mind free to consider it: In seeking an explanation of this (which has been in no wise exaggerated, but, instead, has been ootffirmed bY others), we have, we think; found it in sheer force of example set by the other traffic.
Should.Left-hand Steering Be ;Pr
p ART and parcel of the same subject is the question as to whether vehicles with left-hand steer , ing should be allowed an British roads. Wartime needs have compelled the use of certain imported vehicles, which were unobtainable with righthand steering. There are very few of them, however, and the further importation of vehicles so equipped • should be prohibited. There is no likelihood of vehicles being built in this country with left-hand steering ; if there were, we should urge that such a design be declared illegal.
Here the argument will be put forward that there is no obj-ection (supposing that the rule of the road is not altered—although there will go_ hand in hand with the argument advocacy of changing the rule) to placing the driver of the vehicle on the left thereof. It will be said that skill in judging clearances when passing, or being passed, is quickly developed, and that there is even a slight advantage in the position when turning to the left or drawing in, as the 'left kerb can be more accurately hugged, avoided, or approached.
The development of the skill is a small point: we have found the driving of a left-hand-steered vehicle offers no difficulty in itself, but two great objections do present themselves. Overtaking vehicles pass on the right, and if one. is to the left side of a vehicle with a cab or high body, the right hand cannot be put out as a. warning that,one intends to deflect from a straight course. And, when attempting to overtake another vehicle one has to go so far out in order to ascertain if the-re, is room to pass, that trouble with approaching traffic is as endless as the consequent delay in getting by. The driver of a motor vehicle is always wanting to overtake other traffic ; he is constantly needing to put out his right hand to signify his intention of taking the centre or right side of the road. By gradually drawing in to the kerb, he is able to turn left With rare need, for a signal. The case for a change of the rule of the road and against the prohibition, whilst the present rule is retained,, of left-hand steering is dictated by selfinterest on the part of importers of foreign vehicles. It should be strongly fought, lest the authorities give way, through the failure on the part of those who know the objections but do not point them out.
The Right 'ime for a Commercial Vehicle Show.
THE VERY MARKED success of the Roads aucl Transport Exhibition has had the effect of opening up a number of new problems as regards the future provision of a sufficient, but not an excessive number of shows of commercial vehicles.
There were very few prominent petrol, steam or electric vehicle manufacturers who were not repre sented recently at the Agricultural Hall. It is, therefore, clear that the manufacturing industry is deeply interested in the possibility of doing big business with local authorities. We are informed that quite a number of exhibitors $went out of their way to express the hope that the Roads and Transport Exhibition would be made an annual event. Others certainly took quite a different point of view. They argued that, by reason of its recent big development, this exhibition was on a fair way to become so essentially a motor show as to make it a waste of time and money to carry on with it and also to organize a commercial vehicle exhibition at Olympia.
The recent Shaw, was, of course, limited in scope; bare chassis were not permitted to be shown, and neither were passenger nor goods-carrying vehicles of ordinary type. Some of the exhibitors rather resented these artificial restrictions, but it is clear that, if they were removed, the exhibition, if continued, would become practically a duplicate of any S.M.M. and T. show organized at Olympia, though, perhaps on a rather smaller scale.
There is evidently no reason why the S.M.M. and T., possessing the great power given by the bond, should allow anyone to usurp its right to organize the only general and representative show of motor vehi\ cies. The Roads and Transport Exhibition was approved as a specialized event, apPealing to a special class of industry and enabling manufacturers to concentrate particularly upon exhibits interesting to that class.
It is difficult to say how its scope could reasonably be much widened to make the event general rather than special; though it is a pity, in view of the Potential demand for vehicles for rural services, many of which will, no doubt, be run by local authorities with special types of body for passengers alone or for passengers and goods; should be altogether exchided. It is conceivable that one of the smaller halls at the Agricultural Hall might be devoted solely to body exhibits in order to cover this point.
We have, however, all the time, the argument that, if a. m, big general show be organized at Olympia, the greater Tould include the less, and an appeal econld be made to the municipal authorities as well as to the general public -without two exhibitions. This is, undoubtedly, the strongest argument against the continued support of a Roads and Transport Exhibition. c14
Shows and Overseas Trade.
WHEN WE REACH the decision indicated at the conclusion of the preceding note, we • find ourselves up against a rather unexpected difficulty which may or may not be serious. It is useless to make an exhibition appeal to a certain section of the community if that section is not free to attend that exhibition when it is held.
Now, it is maintained in some quarters that it would be a sheer waste of time and money to endeavour to attract the local government official to any exhibition held in the summer or, in fact, held at any other time than that of his annual congress. In the Hammier, it is argued, he is far too busy to be given leave for such a purpose. Consequently we see that, if we want the municipal authority at all, we must time our exhibition particularly to suit his convenience.
We must, then, ask ourselves whether we are prepared to do this. Many manufacturers do not consider November to be a suitable month for the general exhibition of commercial vehicles, because, if the annual exhibition ia held then, there is a tendency for the business of the coming season to be concentrated upon it, and the late autumn would leave insufficient time. From this point of view the summer is to be preferred, and a still stronger reason for the same selection of season is that it makes it far easier to appeal effectively to the Overseas markets.
Large numbers of buyers from all parts of the world are in London during the latter part of the summer town season. It has been found in the past that effective means could be devised to draw their attention to a. representative exhibition held at this time. Consequently, a considerable section of the manufacturing industry feels strongly that the general exhibition shozi'ld be held about June or July. If .we are to accept the argument that. a direct appeal to the local government official can only be made in the late autumn, then -we must either leave business with local -governing bodies to take its chance or else we must have two exhibitions with an interval of about six months, the one being general and the other specialized in character.
The only alternative to this conclusion lies in the possibility of organizing some event other than an exhibition to direct the interest of the potential buyer from Overseas or else of the local governing bodies. There are, thus, a number of alternative possibilities in the position, and, at the moment of writing, it is difficult to forecast exactly what decision is likely to be reached.
Effects of Strikes on Manufacturing Methods. EW PERSONS connected with the motor industry, other than perhaps the strikers themselves, consider strikes as anything else than an unmitigated nuisance and a constantly recurring hindrance to the development and expansion of the whole trade. We quite agree that the future of the trade would present a brighter aspect if these constant interruptions could be definitely stopped, but, as this desirable Arcadian state of matters seems at present to belong to the realms a fancy, we must make the best of a bad job and endeavour to find that silver lining which is said to be behind every, cloud.
Though what we have found whilst visiting various works and chatting with members of the trade is, perhaps not sufficient to brighten to any considerable extent the present despondent outlook of laanufactiirers caused by the moulders' strike and other strikes, yet it proves that even strikes are capable of doing a certain amount of good, in that they cause the manufacturers and their designers to look around them with a view to finding efficient and inexpensive substitutes wherewith they may replace materials, or parts, which are denied them by reason of the strikes.
in certain cases manufacturers who had not thought of 'employing new methods arid materials and who were forced to do so by reason of restrictions caused by the strikes found that the new, .methods and materials decreased the that of production, lightened the chassis, and decreased the amount of machining necessary, with the result that these manufacturers will not return to the materials and methods used previously to the strikes.
The trade is that gradually becoming independent to a certain extent of restrictions caused by strikes amongst any particular sections of its workers who are necessary for the production of such articles as castings. For instance, the.coal strike,which found many works insufficiently stocked with coal for their forges' caused the use of stampings and pressings, which do not require heat treatment. The duration of this strike was not sufficiently•,loisg materially to affect the supply ,of castings, but the moulders' strike put an entirely different faee..on the matter, and manufacturers have. been compelled to find efficient substitutes, wherever possible, for the castings and particularly, the malleable-iron castings previously employed by many of them. . For such parts as. cylinders and erankca.ses it is practically impossible to find substitutes, but most of the works held a fairly large stock of these particular items, and these stocks have, in many cases, held out sufficiently long to allow for a fairly good output of vehicles. With smaller parts however, the situation was not the same, and the out-put would, in many cases, have been negligible if parts such./ as spring hangers, covers for gearboxes, valve tappets, etc. had not been replaced by stampings, OT pressings. SO one of the outcomes of the moulders' strike has been to turn the attention of designers towards the products of the stamping and pressing ,machines and to reduce their reliance on the foundry.